rural demons

James wanted to dress like a demon and have his bandmates suckle from his teats. Baphomet, he said.They were going to go to the desert and have a photo shoot.

"But I don't want to invite anything in."
"What do you mean?"
"If I impersonate a demon it might invite a demon in."

So the photo shoot didn't happen, but the demons came anyway.

One by one we burned. One by one the demons came and took us away.

It got so we couldn't bear to look at one another as much as we were all in love.

As much as we loved the music.

This was last summer. A make all or break all.

We played with the fire at first, jamming in the living room, singing on the radiator with chords tripping us up on the wood floor as the children slept.
Even the bitterest of enemies were getting along at this time. We ate raw meat and headed to the river when we had to shut the windows when the neighbors called the cops. It got so damn hot.

Casey didn't wear shoes and they chopped off Sofie's hair on the front porch. This was before Nick got his jaw punched, before Bernie lived in the Rainbow Motel. Natty lived in the greenhouse in the backyard and provided the tea. I picked flowers, swept the floor on occasion and tried to keep rhythm on the tambourine by staring at Bernie on the drums. Jonathan knew all the words, you could hear him singing around the campfire to O Mother. Andrew was still a prick but he gave high-fives and the music kept his personal demons away while Alicia was gone. Dear sweet Hannah wore her silk robes and scarves driving the Old Valiant singing next to Kacey and Sofie. Syd and Sam were there. Sean rode his bike by from time to time.
And Joel sitting with the lapsteel. Joel was the last to go.

Ceiara had been burned long before. She had been so strong for so long.

Annika wasn't there, the demons took her before then.

One by one we burned.

Around the campfire, back to back James told me.
"Love the demon,"
"I'm trying."
I tried.

Fuck that.

And I burned.